Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has so far airlifted no fewer than 1,278 intending pilgrims to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, for the 2024 holy pilgrimage.
The arrival of the third batch of 428 pilgrims at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah, at 9.46a.m. (Saudi Arabian time) has increased the number from 850, which comprises the first and second batches, to 1,278 pilgrims so far airlifted by the state.
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, who led the board’s Secretary, Saheed Onipede and other officials to bid the pilgrims farewell, announced that each of the pilgrims is entitled to $400 as Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA)
The announcement sparked uproar and was vehemently protested by the pilgrims who described the new development as unfair and unacceptable, stressing that since some of them had already collected $500 cash before departure, theirs should not be different.
Layode, while reacting to the protest, appealed for patience, saying that the deduction was not the decision of the state but that of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He added that the reason for the deduction could not be unconnected with the unstable forex exchange rates.
The Amir-ul-Hajj, who affirmed that the BTA is their right and legitimate earning, urged them to remain calm and collect the $400 given to them at the moment while awaiting the resolution by both NAHCON and CBN on the latest development.
He assured them that if the two Federal Government’s agencies resolved to return the balance of $100, the state government would not hesitate to do so accordingly.
Layode assured the pilgrims that the promises made by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the one-day seminar to pay for their sacrificial rams, Ihram clothes and ziyyarah (visitation) to historical sites both in Makkah and Madinah are still intact and shall be fulfilled.
He later distributed the $400 cash to each of the pilgrims before boarding their flight en-route Madinah, admonishing them to be cautious of their conduct in the Holy Land and avoid anything that could bring the state and the country at large to disrepute.
